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SRT Preset line management

Empostarr

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2020
Messages
447
Location
SE Michigan
Hey all SRT climbers! This year I started setting up preset trees with a loop of paracord before hunting season, and I even preset a tree in my yard to practice climbing. One of the things I noticed, is that the paracord can become a pain the keister while climbing once you also have your climbing rope and pull down rope up in the tree.

What's everyone doing to manage that preset line? Right now I tie it at the base of the tree once I get my rope and pull down line ready to be pulled tight and girth hitched in the canopy to keep it out of the way, but I've also thought about possibly just pulling it up once at height so that it's not down there and leaving a possible "scent wick" as others have said. But that also comes with the added risk of forgetting to drop it down before descending the tree.

Also, I've been toying with the idea of using the preset line as a haul line for my platform, that way I don't have a platform hanging off my saddle while I'm climbing. I would have my pull down rope for my bow, my climbing rope for my pack, and then the preset line for my platform. This would just require that I don't tie it off at the base of the tree prior to climbing as I do now.

Any thoughts or experience?
 
I usually pull mine away and tie it off on an adjacent tree if one is available. I use my tag ends of the SRT line to pull up pack and bow.
 
If doing a canopy anchor, one end of the preset gets tied to the knot for retrieval and the remainder get wrapped around the trunk 1-2 times and left on the ground. I use my SRT rope to hoist my bow since I pull up my SRT rope once at height anyways. If doing a base anchor, I leave the preset in a loop, pull my rope over the limb then tie the preset back around the trunk.
 
What's everyone doing to manage that preset line? Right now I tie it at the base of the tree

@Empostarr - I wrap the preset loop around the base of the tree with a half hitch before ascending. If it's not totally out of the way, I just pay attention to it as I climb to keep it from interfering. I don't use paracord for presets, though. I use camo mason's line. It's way cheaper, and much harder for other hunters to notice. (I don't want my presets to stand out to anyone else passing through when I'm not there.)
 
@Empostarr - I wrap the preset loop around the base of the tree with a half hitch before ascending. If it's not totally out of the way, I just pay attention to it as I climb to keep it from interfering. I don't use paracord for presets, though. I use camo mason's line. It's way cheaper, and much harder for other hunters to notice. (I don't want my presets to stand out to anyone else passing through when I'm not there.)
I was able to find 50ft camo paracord at Home Depot for $5, working strength of 150 lbs. That was cheaper than most places I was able to find paracord at, and it's already in nice 50 ft rolls that are easy to toss in my scouting bag or in my climbing bag if I find a spot I really like. So far 50 ft has been plenty long enough.

I agree, I don't want others seeing it either, which is another reason I tie it tight to the tree when I'm done.
 
Maybe use preset line as pulldown line also?

I was just thinking that after @MNFarmHunter post. I tie a figure 8 loop in my paracord preset loop so that I can girth hitch it around my climbing line and pull it up and around the crotch. I could take that loop and hook it into my delta link before I pull it up into the canopy for the girth hitch and then use that as my pull down line. If the rain stops today I'll have to give that a try!

I could definitely use my climbing rope for my bag and bow, which I'll have to try too.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!
 
Just this year I decided to leave it at the base of the tree on the ground. I use both ends of my climbing line to haul gear up.
 
I was able to find 50ft camo paracord at Home Depot for $5, working strength of 150 lbs. That was cheaper than most places I was able to find paracord at, and it's already in nice 50 ft rolls that are easy to toss in my scouting bag or in my climbing bag if I find a spot I really like. So far 50 ft has been plenty long enough.

I agree, I don't want others seeing it either, which is another reason I tie it tight to the tree when I'm done.

If that's working good for you, I'd stick with it. Here's what I use - it's only $23 for 1000' ...
Link: Camo Mason's Line

It's also available in 500' rolls for a slightly higher price per foot ...
Link: Camo Mason's Line - Small Roll
 
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Just this year I decided to leave it at the base of the tree on the ground. I use both ends of my climbing line to haul gear up.
Yep - that's what I do - well not exactly. I tie it off around the trunk of the tree with a half hitch. By "leave it at the base of the tree on the ground" do you mean to say that you're using a loop that rests on the ground, or that you're taking it down as you put up your climbing line, and then having to re-rig the preset after you come back down?
 
I have not had any issues with it. Most of my presets are in oaks, and it's working good for me. If you have a tree where the thinner line concerns you, then maybe using the paracord is the way to go.
 
Here's how I do my presets.

If I'm doing a canopy anchor, I unclip the preset, connect the clip to the rope end I'm pulling up and tie the other end behind the rope anchor knot. When retrieving, I reverse the process. When doing a base anchor, I leave the preset connected and connect the rope end to the clip. Since you don't need a retrieval line with a base anchor, I leave the preset as a continuous loop.
IMG_0033.JPG
 
Yep - that's what I do - well not exactly. I tie it off around the trunk of the tree with a half hitch. By "leave it at the base of the tree on the ground" do you mean to say that you're using a loop that rests on the ground, or that you're taking it down as you put up your climbing line, and then having to re-rig the preset after you come back down?

My presets have a loop tied in one end and a nylon flag clip on the other. I pull up my climbing line with the paracord loop and then drop the whole paracord mess on the ground. When I finish the hunt, I reconnect the paracord to the climbing line and pull the paracord back up as the climbing line comes down.
 
I use paracord to pull climbing line up and then it remains at the tree base. When done with hunt tie it back around climbing line and pull it back up tree. Ready for next time.
 
Thanks for all of the insight! I basically just tied a continuous loop and wasn't untying it to get my climbing rope into the tree. But I see now how if I do untie it, I can use it as a pull down/gear haul rope too, which will resolve the issue of it being in the way.
 
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that answered. I've effectively used @MNFarmHunter method without the carabiner. Works great and I'm now toying with keeping my platform attached to my pack, so once I'm up I can hang my gear strap, tow up my bag, then hang my platform and use the preset/pull down line to haul up my bow.

Once all thats done I can just coil up my lines and stuff them in the pack and out of the way!
 
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